The PSNI has denied that a joint police and British Army patrol crossed the border into Co Louth yesterday evening.
Shortly before 8pm yesterday, gardaí received reports from a number of local residents that a British Army/PSNI patrol had crossed the border in the townland of Cornamucklegh, near Omeath in Co Louth.
By the time gardaí got to the area, there was no sign of an incursion, but locals reported that around 20 troops in two groups had been in the Republic.
Other reports claimed two PSNI officers, driving a mustard coloured unmarked car, had also been approached by locals.
Sinn Féin MLA, Conor Murphy, said his office received reports of locals stating that British army soldiers crossed the border along the Flagstaff Road near Omeath.
Mr Murphy said locals also said that members of the PSNI were seen to drive down the road into the Republic as far as Davey's, a local pub, before turning onto the main road back to Newry.
The matter was raised in the Dáil this morning by Sinn Féin TD Arthur Morgan, who failed in an attempt to have the day's business suspended to discuss it.
Later, the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that it has raised the alleged incursion with the British authorities, through the British/Irish secretariat in Belfast.
However, while a PSNI spokeswoman in Belfast confirmed to RTÉ News that joint police and British Army patrols were in the border area near Omeath last night, she said preliminary reports indicated that none of the patrols had inadvertently crossed into the Republic.
